Chamber and committees

Thiswork was presented at an expert group convened by the European Commission from28 April to 7 May 2003. Based on the approach used by FRS, the groupcollated data on the international catch and catch distribution of variousstocks. They also used this information to identify potential regulated areaswhich would reduce associated cod catches by varying degrees.

Thisinformation was also subsequently considered by the International Council forthe Exploration of the Seas (ICES) at the May meeting of its Advisory Committeeon Fisheries Management (ACFM). This followed a special request from the EUCommission.

Further progress was made bythe Commission’s Scientific Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries(STECF), which convened on 21-24 October. The group considered spatial aspectsof mixed fisheries in the North Sea, with particular regard to thepossibilities for identifying areas which might allow fishing on the healthierstocks (e.g. haddock and nephrops) while still offering some protection torecovery plan stocks (such as cod and plaice).

Officials continue todiscuss these issues with the Commission.

Research has also continuedon the selectivity of fishing gear. This has included technical research intovarious methods designed to encourage the escape of cod from nets (for example,horizontal panels, rising ropes and, in some cases, separator grids).

It is now for the Commissionto consider its response to these recommendations.

We will work closely with theUK Government on these matters as and when they are taken forward.

Speech and LanguageTherapists Vacancies by NHS Board

Whole Time Equivalent: at 31 March 2003

Source: ISD(M)36, ISD Scotland.

The Executive is committedto increasing overall numbers of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), includingspeech and language therapists, by 1,500. Working groups established as part of the AHP strategy Future Directions are already looking at initiatives toimprove recruitment and retention and clinical placements. A range of professional development and leadershipopportunities is being developed to retain the existing workforce. Inaddition, £1 million has been made available for additionalstudent places in priority areas including speech and language therapy, fundingis available to support a “return to practice” initiative and alternativeroutes to state registration are currently being explored.

Rates of speech and language therapists per 100,000population are also given. These rates should be treated with caution. Thevariability in rates between health boards can be partly explained by the smallnumber of therapists each rate is based on. Also, these rates do not takeaccount of cross-border flows between health boards: for example, patientsresident in one health board area may receive their speech and language therapywithin another.

Information showing theratio of speech and language therapists to the number of people registered asrequiring such services is not held centrally.

Speech and LanguageTherapists by NHS Board

Headcount and Whole TimeEquivalent: at 30 September 2002

Population estimate at 30 June 2002

Sources: National ManpowerStatistics from payroll, ISD Scotland. GRO mid-year population estimates.

As part of the review of provisionof educational psychology services in Scotland, staffing data was gathered from all educationalpsychology services in August 2001. This information is provided in the table,and is also expressed on a per capita basis. There are no figures available onthe number of children registered as requiring such a service.

Educational psychologistswho work with school children are employed by local authorities but not by NHS healthboards.

Educational Psychologists:Permanent Posts, Posts Filled and 0-19 Ratio as at 31 August 2001

Source: as reported in the Reviewof Provision of Educational Psychology Services in Scotland at August 2001.The report can be found at:

http//:www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/peps-00.asp

Note:

* These figures are based onthe ratio of educational psychologists to 0-19 population.

Physiotherapist Vacancies by NHS Board Whole Time Equivalent: at 31 March 2003

Source:ISD(M)36, ISD Scotland.

Notes:

Vacancyfigures relate to posts vacant at 31 March, irrespective of when the vacancyarose.